Would you like to help set up the guild's exhibit at the Homewood Library this Saturday? We will meet at the library at 9:30. It will probably take about an hour. All help is greatly appreciated.
If you can't make it to the library on Saturday, remember to stop by during the month of September to see the exhibit. It is always beautiful and inspiring!
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Jennifer Lackey and blue sock blank
Jennifer Lackey is doing something really cool with a sock blank that she painted at the recent workshop. Here you can see her sock blank, painted in shades of blue, one end is dark blue and she gradated her blue dye to create lighter and lighter stripes of blue (that is Jennifer on the left, trying to step out of the camera's frame).
If you happened to miss the workshop and haven't had the pleasure of knitting this type of sock blank before, the blanks are two strands of sock yarn knitted together. Jennifer is knitting both strands of yarn at the same time. If you see her working on them, it looks like a single toe-up sock in progress.
Actually, a second sock toe is tucked inside the outer one and there are twice as many stitches on her needles as she would have if she was just knitting one sock. The stitches for one sock are interleaved with the stitches for the other sock. She knits with one yarn in either hand, knitting a stitch for one sock with its yarn, then knitting the next stitch--a stitch for the other sock--with the other yarn.
No matter your age, or how many socks you've knit, it was delightful, even magical, to see the inside sock pulled out!
See more photos from the workshop and post photos of what you're doing with your blanks on the guild's Ravelry page.
Actually, a second sock toe is tucked inside the outer one and there are twice as many stitches on her needles as she would have if she was just knitting one sock. The stitches for one sock are interleaved with the stitches for the other sock. She knits with one yarn in either hand, knitting a stitch for one sock with its yarn, then knitting the next stitch--a stitch for the other sock--with the other yarn.
No matter your age, or how many socks you've knit, it was delightful, even magical, to see the inside sock pulled out!
See more photos from the workshop and post photos of what you're doing with your blanks on the guild's Ravelry page.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Great dye workshop! Check out the pictures!
Last Saturday's dye workshop was great! So many creative, beautiful yarns were created!
Sock blanks (ordered from Knitpicks) were painted with Jaquard dyes (available from many sources such as Knitpicks and Dharma Trading).
The sock blanks were soaked overnight in water and a small amount of Synthropol (a soap solution used by dyers and available at dye suppliers). When the dyers were ready, they squeezed out as much water as they could and laid their wet sock blanks out on cling wrap.
The dyes were prepared ahead of time at a ratio of 1/2 teaspoon of dye powder with 1 cup of boiling water. The people who handled the dye powder worked outside and wore protective masks. Dyes are safe to work with when handled with respect and care (there is plenty of safety information to be found on the web).
The dye stock solutions were blended to create unique colors and diluted with water, then used as paint on the sock blanks.
After the sock blanks were painted they were rolled in their cling wrap and microwaved to steam-set the dyes. The microwave we used was provided by Jennifer Justiss and is only used for dyeing, never for food. This sort of painting-dyeing can also be steamed in a dyepot with water and something to hold the wrapped package just out of the water, an upside down colander or some chicken wire shaped to fit inside the pot will do.
Once the steamed yarn is cool, it can be removed from the cling wrap and gently rinsed.
There are an infinite number of ways to paint a sock blank and they all result in amazing color variations in the final socks, shawl, or whatever the yarn is used for.
Check out the guild's Facebook page and the guild's Ravelry group to see the pictures that people are posting of their painted sock blanks. They are amazing! If you haven't posted your painted sock blank yet, please, please post a photograph at one or both of these sites and come back later and post a photo of what you make with it!
Thanks to Debbie Scott for organizing this terrific workshop, to Karen Ford for hosting it in her home, and to all those who worked so hard to help.
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| Jan McMahan finishing her sock blank (photo by Janice Weinstein) |
The sock blanks were soaked overnight in water and a small amount of Synthropol (a soap solution used by dyers and available at dye suppliers). When the dyers were ready, they squeezed out as much water as they could and laid their wet sock blanks out on cling wrap.
The dyes were prepared ahead of time at a ratio of 1/2 teaspoon of dye powder with 1 cup of boiling water. The people who handled the dye powder worked outside and wore protective masks. Dyes are safe to work with when handled with respect and care (there is plenty of safety information to be found on the web).
The dye stock solutions were blended to create unique colors and diluted with water, then used as paint on the sock blanks.
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| Nancy Clemmon's sock blank is ready to be steamed (photo by Karen Ford). |
After the sock blanks were painted they were rolled in their cling wrap and microwaved to steam-set the dyes. The microwave we used was provided by Jennifer Justiss and is only used for dyeing, never for food. This sort of painting-dyeing can also be steamed in a dyepot with water and something to hold the wrapped package just out of the water, an upside down colander or some chicken wire shaped to fit inside the pot will do.
Once the steamed yarn is cool, it can be removed from the cling wrap and gently rinsed.
There are an infinite number of ways to paint a sock blank and they all result in amazing color variations in the final socks, shawl, or whatever the yarn is used for.
 | |
| Karen Ford and Nancy Lavender painting very different designs (photo by Mary Spanos). |
Check out the guild's Facebook page and the guild's Ravelry group to see the pictures that people are posting of their painted sock blanks. They are amazing! If you haven't posted your painted sock blank yet, please, please post a photograph at one or both of these sites and come back later and post a photo of what you make with it!
Thanks to Debbie Scott for organizing this terrific workshop, to Karen Ford for hosting it in her home, and to all those who worked so hard to help.
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Show and Tell at dye workshop on Saturday
During our lunch break at the dye workshop this Saturday, we'll have a quick Show and Tell. Please bring your recent projects to share.
If you are new to the guild, Show and Tell may be the best part of any meeting. We bring the things we are proud of, the projects that have frustrated us, and ideas that could use some help or suggestions. It is inspiring and exciting to see what other members are working on, and hearing suggestions--even if you don't like them--can be really helpful.
If you participated in the Tour de Fleece, please bring the yarn you spun during the Tour, even if it is still on a bobbin or spindle or already in use.
If you are new to the guild, Show and Tell may be the best part of any meeting. We bring the things we are proud of, the projects that have frustrated us, and ideas that could use some help or suggestions. It is inspiring and exciting to see what other members are working on, and hearing suggestions--even if you don't like them--can be really helpful.
If you participated in the Tour de Fleece, please bring the yarn you spun during the Tour, even if it is still on a bobbin or spindle or already in use.
Monday, August 3, 2015
Guild newsletter, August 2015
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Sunday, August 2, 2015
READY TO DYE!
The following information is for the dye workshop on August 8 (there will be no guild meeting other than this workshop). Registration for this workshop closed a few weeks ago so that supplies and preparations could be made. If you are registered, we are looking forward to seeing you at the wokrshop. If you are not registered, we hope you'll enjoy reading about what will be happening at the workshop. Maybe you'll want to join in next time!
After the workshop, watch this blog, the guild's facebook page, and the guild's Ravelry page for photos from the workshop!
From Debbie
Scott, GBFG
Workshop Chairperson
SATURDAY,
AUGUST 8, beginning @10:00 a.m.
Parking: Due to the workshop being held at Karen’s home, and the large
number of people (28) signed up,we are
asking workshop participants to please park in the parking lot where
the vacant Pier 1 is, located on Hwy 31 in Vestavia (1441 Montgomery Highway). This is a large parking lot, we will be shuttling workshop
participants to Karen’s home from there and we will be bringing you
back. This will make it easier for all of us. This is adjacent to
the Diplomat Deli (more people may be familiar with the location of the Diplomat). Coincidentally, the Diplomat will be catering our lunch. Please do NOT to park in front
of Diplomat Deli.
What to
wear: COOL and old comfortable clothes, apron if desired. Your clothes may get stained! You
will be standing on concrete for a length of time, so wear comfortable shoes.
What to
bring: Pair of rubber gloves, large old bath towel, at least two
large trash bags to carry home your sock blanks.
GBFG
will be catering lunch from the Diplomat Deli. There will be chicken
salad and a vegetarian option, along with chips, cookie, and bottled
water. If you have any dietary restrictions, such as gluten or
dairy, we ask that you bring your own. If you desire to have
something else to drink besides water, bring that. (All food and
water will be consumed away from the workshop area at lunchtime, never eat and dye from the same dishes or in the same place).
WORKSHOP: We will be providing each workshop participant 2-sock blanks for
you to work with. The acid dyes have been prepared and are waiting for you in liquid form. These dyes are non-toxic as long as they are diluted in
water. We want you to have
fun!
Due to
the large number of participants, we are asking that everyone be
prompt, as we need to get started on time. We also ask that you be
respectful to those who are leading the workshop, as it may be
difficult to hear directions otherwise. This will help everyone!
We will
shuttle you back to your car at the end of the workshop or when you need to go.
Looking forward to seeing all of
you!
CREATIVITY RULES THE SOCK BLANKS!
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